The Freeman's Journal 02-16-23

Community Foundation Funds Warming Station

Homeless Numbers on the Rise

By TED MEBUST COOPERSTOWN

The Community Foundation of Otsego County announced its largest, most recent and final donation of the organization’s 2022 award cycle, giving $25,000.00 to help Catholic Charities of Delaware, Otsego and Schoharie Counties support the Oneonta Warming Station. This is the second award the Oneonta Warming Station has received from CFOC, the first to the tune of $10,000.00 at the end of the 2021 award cycle.

“Homelessness, as a rising problem, is all around us… clearly there’s an ongoing need and we wanted to help them [Catholic Charities] out again,” said Jeff Katz, CFOC president.

The warming station has provided shelter, food and social services to unsheltered individuals for the last three years. It operates from November 1 to March 31, opening its doors each night at 5:30 p.m. at 296 Main Street in Oneonta. The CFOC donation will help meet the growing needs of the station, which saw an increase in the number of bed nights it provides from 49 in its first

year of operation to 1,031 last winter. The warming station is operated by professionals and community volunteers.

“I’d like to express my gratitude for the grant from the Community Foundation of Otsego County. The support from this grant allows Catholic Charities to continue to assist those in need who come to the warming station this winter,” said Christy Houck, executive director of Catholic Charities of Delaware, Otsego and Schoharie Counties, an organization that recently received aid in combating homelessness from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.

The charitable donation was organized in part by the Robert and Esther Black Family Foundation.

“Our goal is to strengthen our nonprofits and strengthen our community,” Katz explained.

The CFOC invites area nonprofits to continue their applications for aid starting in March 2023, after approving their award criteria for the next cycle. Visit the Community Foundation of Otsego County website, cfotsego.org, or e-mail contact@ cfotsego.org.

Forum Draws Large Crowd

By DARLA M. YOUNGS ONEONTA

Nosey Little Nelson

MARYLAND—Nelson, curious little companion of Arlene Nygren and Judith Sobers, peeks out from behind a vase of tulips. Nelson is the first four-legged, furry and/or feathered subject to be featured in our new weekly photo series highlighting animals and the important role they play in our lives. We invite you to send your pictures to darlay@allotsego.com. Every week, we’ll select at least one photograph to be highlighted in the newspapers and online.

Zachary German Lauded by NY Air National

Guard

NEWBURGH

Internet Breakfast Café Opens In Historic Store

Coffee, Community the Inspiration

By MAE LOEWENGUTH HARTWICK

An analyst from Bassett Healthcare and an environmental advocate have been working since 2009 to restore what was once known as O.S. Burch & Son, a dry goods/general store. The historical building, dating back to 1864, is now known as the Freight Wheel Café.

Owners Martha and Paul Clarvoe met and were wed in the state of Maryland. They later decided it was time to get back to nature—eventually choosing upstate New York, where they settled and raised three children.

“I lived on a former farm in Potomac, Maryland and grew up in Montgomery County,” Martha recalled. “It was one of the fastest growing counties in the nation, and we felt it was too busy for us. More traffic every year and getting from place to place was taking longer and longer.”

next project. She fell in love with the woodwork and the history behind the building.

“When I returned home after touring the mill, I thought I should see the inside of the former O.S. Burch store, which had been vacant and for sale for many years. We purchased the building in 2009,” Martha said. This was not going to be an easy undertaking for the married couple, so they asked for the help of Steve Zerby, proprietor of Steve Zerby Design/Build. Together, they have restored the structure to have energy-efficient heating and cooling, insulation methods and weatherization techniques.

spit out coming our way next week , page 5

►hof pitCher raNdy JohNsoN photo eXhibit at feNimore, page 7

Approximately 80 people attended the Community Cat Forum on Thursday, February 9 at the Foothills Performing Arts and Civic Center. They gathered to discuss the increasing numbers of unowned cats in Otsego County and share strategies which might curtail that growth.

“Community cats” is a term used by the American SPCA to describe outdoor, unowned, free-roaming cats. They can be friendly, feral, adults, kittens, healthy, sick, altered and/or unaltered, and

Continued on page 6

An Oneonta resident, Capt. Zachary German, is one of two members of the 105th Airlift Wing to be named Airmen of the Year by the 5,880-member New York National Air Guard. German was named the Company Grade Officer of the Year for 2023, while Senior Master Sgt. Renea Turner, of Middletown, was selected as First Sergeant of the Year for 2023.

The 105th Airlift Wing is based at Stewart Air National Guard Base in Newburgh.

German, who joined the New York Air National Guard in 2017, is the medical plans and operations officer for the wing’s 105th Medical Group Detachment 1. He is responsible for daily operations and readiness of the medical detachment and coordination for all training, exercises, and operations.

He also serves as a liaison to the New York Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear Task Force commander regarding medical operations during domestic operations missions.

“Capt. Zachary German and Senior Master Sgt. Renae Turner represent the full-spectrum embodiment of today’s Air National Guard,” said Brig. Gen. Gary

Continued on page 6

While renovating their own home in Hartwick—a circa 1856 farmhouse on a former hops farm—Paul and Martha fell in love with the renovation process, preserving what they could while making necessary updates.

Martha’s inspiration for the new venture was an old wooden mill she saw while visiting her grandfather in Hershey, Pennsylvania. She loved the post and beam structure, and how her grandfather had kept the original wood and built around it. Learning that the former general store was for sale, Martha knew it would be her

“Efforts were made to preserve as much of the historical structure of the building as possible,” Martha elaborated. “Dense pack cellulose was used to insulate the walls. The radiant ceiling on the second floor and radiant floor tubing distributes the heat on the first floor, from the condensing boiler in the basement. A Mitsubishi air source heat pump is used for heating and cooling in the workspace on the second floor.”

The Freight Wheel Café is a certified Otsego County Waste Smart Business, Martha added, meaning food waste is composted, items that can’t be reused are avoided when possible and recyclables are properly disposed of.

The Clarvoe’s goal was not only to restore the building, but to create a communal space for the people of Hartwick.

Photo by Arlene Nygren

Photo provided CAPT. ZACHARY GERMAN

Photo provided

The long-awaited Freight Wheel Café offers free wi-fi and printer access, with space to eat, work, and socialize.

job scene

To place effective employment ads, call 607-547-6103

Seniors Connections Program Now Underway at Clark Sports Center

By CASPAR EWIG COOPERSTOWN

On Thursday, January 5, those interested in signing up for a Connections at Clark Sports Center membership were treated to a tour of the facility and shown the various locations at which Connections programming and special events will now be held.

By holding all the sessions in the CSC, Connections—a program of the Otsego County Council of Senior Citizens—can take advantage of the expansive facilities.

“Our association with the Clark Sports Center is giving us many more health and fitness programming options,” said Mike Lachance, co-founder of the former Cooperstown Senior

TheSECRETARY TO THE SOIL AND WATER CONSERVATION DISTRICT BOARD

This administrative position serves as an officer to the Board of Directors and is a member of an interdisciplinary team responsible for the implementation and administration of Soil and Water Conservation District (SWCD) programs. The SWCD Secretary is primarily responsible for all fiduciary and financial functions of the Soil and Water District. Work shall be performed independently and professionally. The SWCD Secretary shall report directly to and receive direction from the SWCD District Manager and SWCD Board of Directors. Does related duties as required. Annual salary $45,000 to $55,000 commensurate with experience.

For complete descriptions of typical work activities, skills and abilities requirements, qualifications and special requirements go to otsegosoilandwater.com/job or call 607-547-8337 ext. 4.

Community Center, now known as Connections.

In addition, the sports center has gracious informal seating and meeting areas where people can gather during lunch and when not involved in activities, Mike pointed out.

Connections members can take advantage of an indoor walking track, ping-pong tables, tables for card and board games, and a felt lined, inclined board designed to eliminate the crimp in one’s back when searching for the open spots in jigsaw puzzles. The CSC will make their Fitness Game Room available to Connections members as well. Some activities, such as bowling or the golf simulator, will require an extra fee. Use of the pool and pickleball courts requires a CSC membership.

“We chose the name ‘Connections’ to emphasize that our program is centered on wellness: to help all people age well physically, mentally and intellectually,” explained Carole Lachance, Mike’s wife and group cofounder. “And while the program is directed toward seniors, we found adding that term to the title was offputting. Instead, we wanted to emphasize the community aspect of the program.”

This commitment to giving seniors a place to exercise and socialize remains a core principal for the Lachances. In fact, except for a brief period, their program never completely shut down during the pandemic.

“We continued by scrupulously following the guide-

HANDYMAN POSITION

We are looking for a reliable Handyman to undertake upkeep and repair tasks at the interior or exterior of company premises. We’ll rely on you to keep facilities and grounds in perfect condition by doing various odd jobs. Deft hands and technical knowledge are important parts of a handyman’s arsenal. You must be well organized with strong general repair skills. A keen eye for detail and physical stamina are valued greatly in this job. Year round work, paid vacation, flexible schedule

CARPENTERS NEEDED

3-5 Years Experience needed in building construction Must have good Working Attitude, work well with others, able to take direction Read blue prints, Tools, Transportation Good Problem Solving skills, customer relations. Most work is within 30 minutes of Oneonta NY. Paid vacation, sick days, year round work.

PLEASE SEND RESUME TO: tomhoward@stny.rr.com

OFFICE: Tom Howard Construction Inc., 7353 State Hwy 23, Oneonta NY 13820 607-436-9702 office • 607-436-9837 fax

1920s COSTUME PARTY!

SATURDAY, FEB. 25

Join the fun before Saturday nights movie. $200 grand prize for best 1920s costume, plus many more prizes!

Back BY POPULAR DEMAND!

Saturday, February 25

Lounge opens at 7 pm and movie starts at 8:30 pm.

Sunday, February 26 MATINEE

Lounge opens at 2 pm and movie starts at 3 pm.

Ticket information: www.foothillspac.org

EDITORIAL

Help Wanted

First, a heartfelt thanks to our many readers who have reached out to us with praise and appreciation for the steps we have been taking to make our print and digital publications a more informative and engaging community resource. Now we are asking for your help in the next phase of our improvement efforts; please respond to a new survey designed to help us get a better sense of how our readers interact with our newspapers and website. Our intent is to discover what our readers most enjoy and what we could be doing better. In hopes that as many voices as possible will be heard, the survey has also been designed for non-readers—and sporadic readers—to complete as well. The more information we gather, the better able we will be to continue our efforts to make our papers—and their online counterpart, currently in the throes of re-design—vital and integral resources for our communities.

Our mission to serve our communities in the best possible manner is driven by the importance of preserving our locally-owned and independent publications in an era that has seen a steep decline in independent media across the country and the devastating loss to affected communities. Print and digital newspapers have been, and are being, taken over by hedge funds, poorly regulated offshore financial institutions that control the content of a third of the newspapers in the country, including the largest local newspaper chains—Tribune, McClatchy and Gannett. These funds have debts to pay, investors to please, and no interest in sustaining their purchases; they cut the staffs and bring in articles from far-away sister newspapers on far-away national subjects.

Since 2004, roughly 30 percent of newspapers in the U.S. have closed; most of the survivors have had their staffs and circulation slashed. More than three million people live in cities, towns and rural counties with no local news coverage. These so-called “news deserts” have no local reporters keeping an eye on the issues most critical to their local democracy and quality of life. There is no forum for local discourse and no advertising medium for local businesses. There is no record of local history, no community knowledge—births, deaths, families, businesses—no local opinion.

When a newspaper disappears, its readers become less connected. They participate less often in municipal elections; elections are less competitive; political polarization increases; corruption goes unchecked; government costs go up; disinformation becomes the norm. We must not let this happen. For 215 years, “The Freeman’s Journal” and, more recently, “Hometown Oneonta,” the only independent publications in Otsego County—supplemented digitally by AllOtsego.com—have kept local news in local hands, continuing to record the history and guide the future of our cherished local communities. Financial support of the local newspaper through subscriptions and advertising is nothing short of a critical investment in the community. Community support makes the newspaper better able to meet community needs and expectations. We hope as much of our citizenry as possible will respond to this survey and support our efforts to keep our print and digital publications the vital independent resources that every community deserves.

Please follow this link to the survey, https://allotsego. wufoo.com/forms/reader-survey, and let us know what you think. Your input is very important and we thank you for your consideration.

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR POLICY

“The Freeman’s Journal” welcomes letters to the editor that reflect the writer’s thoughts on an article or other item appearing in the paper. They must include the writer’s name, address, e-mail and telephone/ mobile number; the opinions expressed must be the writer’s own. Hostile, offensive, factually incorrect or excessively inflammatory content will not be published. The length must be no more than 250 words. The editors reserve the right to accept, reject or edit letters for clarity and space. Please send letters to: info@allotsego.com.

Is It Live, or Is It Memorex?

One of the hottest advances in technology is the development of an artificial intelligence product called ChatGPT. Its basic program is available free on the Internet. It is causing an uproar in academia because students are using it to write their homework assignments. This is already a game changer for teachers in figuring out how to evaluate student’s performances.

ChatGPT is a state-of-the-art language model developed by OpenAI, a leading artificial intelligence research lab. The model is built using the transformer architecture, a neural network designed to process sequential data such as text.

The name ChatGPT stands for “Chat Generative Pretrained Transformer.” The “pretrained” aspect of the model refers to the fact that it has been trained on a large body of text data prior to being finetuned for specific tasks. This allows the model to have a strong understanding of the structure and content of natural language, making it well-suited for a variety of languagerelated tasks.

The training data used to create ChatGPT consists of billions of words from various sources, including websites, books and other written texts. During training, the model learns to predict the next word in a sequence given the context of the surrounding words. The objective is to generate text that is grammatically

Facemasks, Vaccines Are Not the Answer

Dr. Richard Sternberg asks your readers if they are still masking up and getting jabbed. I, for one, am not! The doctor seldom, if ever, mentions the keys to excellent health and COVID/flu avoidance. These time-honored keys are hard work or exercise, obtaining adequate rest, maintaining a slim waistline, getting plenty of fresh air and sunshine, and ingesting many fresh fruits and vegetables.

Donning ridiculous, respirationdepressing facemasks and taking dangerous, toxic vaccinations should be rejected by the medicos. Hopefully the “misinformation king” Dr. Fauci, along with the pharmaceutical companies, will be held accountable.

Steve Broe Oneonta

Support for Drnek, But With Questions

In recent/positive news, the City of Oneonta was given a federal grant to help combat the homeless situation. I firmly support this effort.

correct, semantically meaningful, and consistent with the style and tone of the training data.

One of the key strengths of ChatGPT is its ability to generate human-like text, which makes it wellsuited for use in conversational AI systems such as chatbots. The model can be fine-tuned for specific tasks such as answering questions, generating responses in a specific style or tone, or even generating creative writing.

ChatGPT has achieved impressive results in a number of languagerelated tasks, including machine translation, text summarization and question answering. The model has also been used to generate text that is indistinguishable from that written by humans, a task known as text generation.

One of the key factors contributing to the success of ChatGPT is its size. The model is massive, with over 1.5 billion parameters, which allows it to capture a vast amount of knowledge and information about the world. This, in turn, enables it to generate text that is more accurate, diverse and coherent than smaller models.

Another factor contributing to the success of ChatGPT is the use of the transformer architecture, which was specifically designed for processing sequential data such as text. The transformer architecture allows the model to capture long-range dependencies between words, which is important for understanding the

served up deliciously inventive sandwiches and soups: Alex Webster from Alex’s Picnic, Tim Searles from Doubleday Café, caterer Mark Loewenguth, Alex Guenther and Brian Wrubleski from Mel’s at 22, Kyle Morris and Elizabeth Schula from Origins Café, Peter Calhoun from The Otesaga, Jesse Pascale from Rock Hill Farm, Michelle IanelliRubin and Sierra Tompkins from Social Eats Café, as well as Cheryl Zamelis and Carlin Thompson from Sunflower Café.

Stoddard Hollow String Band, always a crowd favorite, was back to toe-tapping delight. Special thanks as well to all those businesses who contributed donations, in-kind or cash, to the event: Cooperstown Natural Foods, Cooperstown Farmers’ Market’s Chatty Wren Coffee Roasters, Brewery Ommegang, Heidelberg Bakery, Templeton Hall Event Venue + Bar Services and Spurbeck’s Grocery.

Several volunteers pitched in to make sure the event ran smoothly and, thanks to them, clean-up was a breeze! The Cooperstown Winter Carnival Committee were great to work with, helping us promote the event and taking part in it, too.

meaning of a sentence.

In addition to its impressive performance, ChatGPT is also easy to use and highly customizable. The model can be fine-tuned for specific tasks by providing it with additional training data relevant to the task. This allows developers to create AI systems that are well-suited for specific use cases, such as customer service chatbots or creative writing applications.

Despite its impressive capabilities, ChatGPT is not perfect. Like all AI models, it can still make mistakes and generate text that is incorrect or offensive. It is also important to note that the model is trained on the Internet, which means that it may have biases or inaccuracies that are reflective of the training data.

In conclusion, ChatGPT is a highly advanced language model developed by OpenAI. Its large size, sophisticated architecture and ability to generate human-like text make it a powerful tool for a variety of language-related tasks. Whether used for conversational AI, text generation or other applications, ChatGPT has the potential to revolutionize the way we interact with technology and each other.

Addendum—Did you get it? The whole column above, except for the first paragraph and this final one, was generated by ChatGPT.

Dr. Richard Sternberg is a retired Bassett Healthcare orthopedic surgeon.

the Vietnam memorial, displaying the name of everyone within the cemetery, and offering DNA capsules to be sealed within.

When governments want to be serious about conserving energy, they should consider these main four advancements of interment. Any of these four proposed internment processes are better than currently used interment methods:

1. The advanced crematorium I spent time developing. An assemblyline crematorium which produces electricity.

2. The freeze-drying concept, saving fuel and limiting pollution. Remains ground, sterilized and deposited in “Field of Flowers” cemetery.

3. Piranha or carnivore approach. Piranhas devour the flesh and the remains are ground down and spread in the “Field of Flowers Cemetery.” The piranha then could be used as fertilizer.

deRosa, Caspar Ewig, Daniel Francis, Ian Kenyon, Tom Shelby, Dr. Richard Sternberg, Dan Sullivan, T. Stephen Wager and Jamie Zvirzdin

Web Architect Ivan Potocnik Historian Tom Heitz/Sharon Stuart Legal Counsel Jill Ann Poulson

Editorial Board

Tara Barnwell, Faith Gay, Michael Moffat, Elinor Vincent, Darla M. Youngs

The only drawback I feel that needs to be addressed is where they are going to go. I fully support Mayor Drnek in his efforts and crusade to address the situation, but I also feel that there needs to be additional funding by either federal or state agencies to help restore old/historical buildings to turn them into housing units for homeless, low-income, and other housing for those who are displaced.

If the question is raised of how to address the upkeep of such housing in regard to the entire exterior and interior of the building, the answer is that it would be based on what the occupant’s income is.

Andrew Hamill Oneonta

Thanks to Those Who Made Event a Success

I’m writing in to express our deep gratitude to all who made our sold out Grilled Cheese for a Good Cause, a community fundraiser for the Cooperstown Farmers’ Market, a happy success.

who

We are also grateful to the vendors who helped us transform the space from a market hall to a “restaurant” and back again. Thank you to all for your support of Otsego 2000 and the year-round Cooperstown Farmers’ Market! To all locals and visitors, we have some wonderfully talented chefs amongst us—be sure to stop in and enjoy a fabulous meal at each and every one of these businesses in the coming months, before the busy season arrives. You won’t be disappointed!

Ellen Pope

Executive Director, Otsego 2000

Future Interment Options Explored

Friends, Romans, Countrymen and Concerned Citizens:

Here are cost effective, environmentally sound ways to process human waste; that of “humans.” DNA is our essence, the rest are trappings.

The “Field of Flowers Cemetery” is literally a manicured field of flowers. There could be a wall somewhat like

4. “Commercial Grade Sewer Systems.” Grind cadavers, then use common commercial grade sewer systems. Deposit sterilized sludge and crushed/pulverized bones on the “Field of Flowers Cemetery.” Same process as used in disposing of municipal sludge.

Personal note: I believe that people that are environmentally conscious will choose methods that are more compatible with being environmentalists. There will be some to begin with that would be willing to accept this new approach and will grow in number as the results prove practical. If anyone believes that there will be a stigma using these methods, then consider and compare the method of being disintegrated in a furnace.

Gerry Welch Cooperstown

Support for Programs Is Encouraged

I would like to urge people to contact Governor Hochul’s office (518-474-8390) in support of the Hunger Prevention and Nutrition and Nourish New York programs. At the food pantry here in Cooperstown last year, we saw a 25 percent increase in demand and distributed over 85,000 meals to more than 5,600 people. With the expiration of SNAP Emergency

210 YeARS AGO

The Federalists and Republicans like the two women who each claimed the child both say – We are Patriots – the only true lovers of our country. And many honest, well-meaning men, not possessing all the wisdom of Solomon, have been puzzled to know who is the true mother, or, to drop the metaphor, who is the true Patriot. but, let the honest candid man apply the question in other words, and ask – Who would divide the child, and who would save it? Who can smile and rejoice at the calamities of our country and who feels every misfortune of his country as a wound inflicted on himself? Let him I say ask the question, and he will find no more difficulty in determining than Solomon did in judging who was the true mother.

February 13, 1813

185 YeARS AGO

A Suspension of the Small bill Law passed the (New York State) Senate on Wednesday last by a vote of 19 to 12. It suspends the operation of the present law for two years, and provides that the bills issued under the Act shall be gradually withdrawn immediately thereafter. This course on the part of the Senate does not compromise one jot or tittle of the principle of prohibiting the circulation of small notes. A majority of the Senate think it expedient to have the operation of the present law for a short time suspended; many others think it is not; it is a difference of judgment on a matter of expediency.

February 12, 1838

160 YeARS AGO

The attention of the proper authorities is called to the conduct of certain soldiers of the 99th New York Regiment, stationed between Norfolk and Suffolk, who by confession of several of their officers, have been kidnapping Negroes and selling them to individuals within the Rebel lines. The mode is thus: A squad is sent to a post upon picket duty. Several remain and the rest prowl around for an unfortunate black, whom they seize and deliver to buyers waiting at appointed places. The Confederate money received is then divided among the participators.

February 13, 1863

135 YeARS AGO

The essay of Mr. C.C. edgerton, on the evening of the 8th, was a scholarly and instructive production, informing his audience as to what “literature” is and is not. We wish that all liberal and enterprising citizens of Cooperstown could have heard his forcible remarks on the influence for good which would be exerted here by the erection of a library building.

February 17, 1888

110 YeARS AGO

There was shipped out of Cooperstown on Thursday a sample bale of hops to elizabeth, N.J., and with it went a challenge to the world, offering one thousand dollars to any person who would produce a carload of hops equal to the sample bale. The bale will be shown at a hop exhibit in elizabeth. The letter accompanying the bale read in part as follows: “I hereby challenge the world and will freely pay to anyone $1,000.00 who will produce a car of hops like these, taking them for color, richness, lupulin, oils and flavor. I claim there is not a hop growing section in the world that can produce as perfect a hop as Otsego County.”

February 12, 1913

35 YeARS AGO

About 3 p.m. on February 8, more than 800 gallons of Number 6 fuel oil, a very thick heating oil, combined with hot water, leaked into the village sewer system. Had the fuel oil entered the storm sewer system, the Susquehanna River would have been polluted. Once in the sewer system, the oil was contained and kept away from the pumps by raising the water to a high level, allowing the oil to float on top of the water. The plant could have been incapacitated had the oil gotten into the pumps.

February 17, 1988

Get Ready for the Great American Spit Out

Few may know that the third full week of February is “Through with Chew Week,” an annual campaign that raises awareness of the dangers of using smokeless tobacco (chew, dip, snus and dissolvable tobacco) and encourages users to quit for the week or just one day. In fact, the Thursday of TWCW is the Great American Spit Out, when users are encouraged to quit for the day and probably the only time chewers and dippers are celebrated for spitting it out. This year, Through with Chew Week runs from February 19-25, with GASO on February 23.

Chewing tobacco and other smokeless tobacco products are often promoted as safer than cigarettes because they aren’t linked to lung cancer, but using them is not a safe alternative to smoking. Smokeless tobacco has more nicotine than cigarettes, making it highly addictive, especially for youth. The American Lung Association reports that smokeless tobacco contains at least 28 cancer-causing chemicals (carcinogens) and has been linked to the following diseases and risks:

• Cancers of the mouth, esophagus and pancreas.

• Gum disease, tooth decay, tooth loss and the formation of white or gray patches inside the mouth called leukoplakia that can lead to cancer.

• Increased risk for early delivery and stillbirth during pregnancy. Knowing about these dangers is important for Otsego County residents because the rate of adults using smokeless tobacco in rural areas is over three times the rate in urban areas (5.95 percent vs.1.7 percent, according to a 2020 National Health Institute survey.) This rural-urban divide stems from the tobacco industry’s saturation of rural markets with advertisements, particularly of smokeless tobacco aimed at young men. The ads exploit rural values of “self-reliance”

by MeRL ReAGLe

and “resiliency,” with images showing cowboys, hunters, and race car drivers, and messages extolling rugged masculinity and self-reliance.

As with other tobacco products, most adult users of smokeless tobacco begin using it in their youth, with 13 as the average initiation age, according to the NIH. big Tobacco also infuses its products with sweet flavors that attract and addict new generations of tobacco users. Research has shown that 81 percent of kids who have ever used a tobacco product started with a flavored product.

Truth Initiative reported in 2019 that 49.8 percent of high-school students and 42.3 percent of middle-school students who frequently used smokeless tobacco used flavored products. Mint-flavored chew is the most popular chew. Flavors also create the impression that these products are less harmful than they really are and continue to play a key role in attracting and addicting young people to tobacco.

Gov. Kathy Hochul’s proposed executive budget includes a measure to end the sale of all flavored tobacco products, including flavored smokeless tobacco. This plan would extend New York’s 2020 law that prohibited the sale of flavored e-cigarettes. It could prevent 280,000 children in New York State from dying prematurely from tobacco use. but you don’t need to wait for legislation to quit using tobacco. And for those who chew, dip, and snuff, TWCW and the Great American Spit Out are around the corner, offering a reason to quit just for one day or for the whole week. You could end up quitting permanently. Spit it out!

For more information, contact Jennifer Hill at Tobacco Free Communities: Delaware, Otsego & Schoharie at Jennifer.Hill003@sphp.com. For free help with quitting, call the New York State Quitline at 1 (866) NY-QUITS or visit www.nysmokefree.com

Compiled by Tom HeiTz/SHARoN STUART with resources courtesy of The Fenimore Art museum Research Library

Continued from page 1

According to Martha, “The only place to really meet people is the library, so we wanted to have a space that the locals could use whether it just be a place to work or a spot for the local kids to hang out.”

On the first floor of the newly-opened Freight Wheel Café is a cozy and welcoming eatery, where homemade baked goods and breakfast foods are available. The chef is Edwin Vazquez, Hartwick resident and former coowner of a deli-style eatery in Oneonta with wife Andrea, who grew up in Hartwick.

On the second floor, there is a community work area as well as a rental space. Free Wi-Fi and a printer are accessible to all guests. A local nonprofit organization, the Angel Network of Cooperstown, is currently occupying the rental space for My Neighbor’s Closet, an all-volunteer thrift shop in which all items are free to those in need.

The freight wheel for which the building is named can also be found on the second floor, completely preserved and sometimes still put to use.

“The idea was to give the people of Hartwick a place outside of Cooperstown or Oneonta, as everything is located there, even though Hartwick is the center of the county,” Martha said.

After more than a decade of work, the Clarvoes officially opened their restaurant to the public on January 23.

The Freight Wheel Café, located at 3097 County Road 11 in the hamlet of Hartwick,

Letters

Continued from page 4

Allotments next month, there will be an average loss of $87 per month per person, at a time when food costs are markedly increased. These programs are important to a lot of our neighbors! Let’s support them.

Mary Anne Whelan Cooperstown

Puppy Mills Are a Dog’s Dilemma

The majority of dogs in our nation’s animal shelters come from “puppy mill” type situations, whether it is a large-scale operation with many dogs bred, or a local “back yard” situation mating a couple of dogs. Add to this the unneutered dogs allowed to roam freely. People buying/acquiring these dogs often do not keep them long. The person has no time, can’t afford the expenses, their lifestyle changes or they can’t be bothered to train or spend time with the dog(s). These unwanted dogs end up at the animal shelter, or worse, are left tied in the yard or left totally abandoned. The shel-

is open Thursday through Saturday from 7-11 a.m. Darla M. Youngs contributed to this article.

Seniors

Continued from page 2

lines: All contact surfaces were sterilized, masks were worn and distancing observed. We kept going because we felt the seniors needed to get out and do something,” said Carole.

“The program has always been very popular and successful from the outset,” Carole continued. “We have an e-mail list of over 200 people who receive our weekly newsletter. And 3040 people can be expected to show up during winter events, although that number reduces to one half during the summer months.”

The annual cost for membership in Connections is $25.00, but there is no charge for those already a member of the CSC. Enrollment remains continually open and anyone can decide to participate at any time during the year.

The Clark Sports Center is located at 124 County Highway 52, Cooperstown. For more information on Connections, e-mail connectionsatcsc@gmail.com.

WE WANT TO CELEBRATE YOU!

Promotions, births, meetings, new hires, events, grand openings, milestones, awards, opinions and more.

Photos welcome, too. info@allotsego.com

ters become overcrowded, forcing some of them to euthanize the animals. Their budgets and staff are very limited. And, a majority of the funds are donated and staff are volunteers.

Dog breeding should be left to the experts. They are breed fanciers who work hard to keep the breed what it should be, and then sell the dogs to people that should have them or want them. The breeders are knowledgeable on their specific breed, are members of associated kennel clubs and take responsibility when placing an animal. They screen potential homes for suitability. Contracts are often required to neuter and train the dog. They will take a dog back at any time, should the home not be able to keep the dog. The dogs from reputable breeders rarely end up in shelters.

Please be part of the solution, not the problem. Support spaying/neutering, responsible dog breeding and rescue organizations. And, support your local animal shelter.

The staff at the animal shelters spend many hours and dollars “fixing” the situation that was created unnecessarily on the other end.

Sherry Hierholzer Jordanville

The CruelT y of T he Chained d og With Love…From A Lone Ly Dog

I wish someone would tell me

What it is that I’ve done wrong.

Why do I have to stay chained up

And be left alone so long?

They seemed so glad to have me

When I came here as a pup.

There were so many things we’d do

While I was growing up.

The Master said he’d train me

As a companion and a friend.

The Mistress said she’d never fear

To be alone again.

The children said they’d feed me

And brush me every day.

They’d play with me and walk me,

Otesaga Golf Season Extended To March 31

COOPERSTOWN

Those who think that golf is just a summer hobby should hang on to their clubs and get ready to sharpen their skills this winter. The Otesaga Resort Hotel is introducing a state-of-the-art TrackMan

Forum

Continued from page 1

may or may not have a caretaker. A caretaker is a person who monitors and provides care to a community cat, but who is not the legal owner. The only outdoor freeroaming cats who are not community cats are those who have an owner, by the ASPCA’s definition.

A panel of animal welfare specialists and advocates assembled by Stacie Haynes, executive director of the Susquehanna Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, addressed the audience to explain shelter overcrowding issues, the dangers to shelter staff members treating feral cats, and to offer a solution.

According to the Humane Society of the United States, the most pressing cat issue in the U.S. is the large population of unsterilized outdoor cats.

The HSUS official position on cats reads, “Regardless of whether they are owned or not, cats who are outdoors are the leading cause of cat overpopulation in communities and can be a conservation threat to at least some species of wildlife on a case-by-case basis.”

Edie Offhaus and Jill Masset, co-founders of East Aurora-based Feral Cat Focus Inc., spoke to the group via Zoom about the success of TNVR, or Trap-NeuterVaccinate-Return. Founded in 2003, Feral Cat Focus is an all-volunteer 501c3 charitable organization dedicated to helping solve Western New York’s feral and freeroaming community cat overpopulation crisis.

As explained on the Feral Cat Focus website, TNVR is based on continued colony management and it is this responsible management that helps ensure the success of TNVR. Feral and free-roaming “community” cats are humanely trapped, spayed or neutered, vaccinated for rabies, evaluated, and eartipped to identify them as spayed or neutered and vaccinated. Animals whose suffering cannot be alleviated are euthanized.

Valley, Colliersville, Laurens, Maryland, Oneonta, Pittsfield and others—recounted their struggles with cats inbreeding, sick and injured cats, trapping difficulties, the growing cost of food, cat hoarders, and their inability to find a place to have cats spayed and neutered.

“There is a massive shortage of veterinarians and vet techs nationally,” agreed Post.

Haynes said the SQSPCA will be hiring a full-time veterinarian in June and plans to spay and neuter at least 15 community cats per week to start, but that is just the tip of the iceberg.

At the close of the forum, a sign-up sheet was circulated so interested parties could sign up to join the working group, the first step of which will be to meet with Feral Cat Focus representatives to learn the specifics of their program.

“An interested community is an absolute necessity,” said Masset, whose organization works with caregivers, municipalities, communities, organizations and businesses.

“Start small,” encouraged Masset. “Every cat spayed is a win.”

Those interested in being part of the Community Cat Working Group should contact the SQSPCA at (607) 5478111 or info@sqspca.org.

Capt.

Continued from page 1

Charlton, the commander of the 105th Airlift Wing.

“Capt. German came to the wing as an Ivy League educated, honors graduate with a thirst to put his education to use in service to his state and nation. He has proven to be a critical team member of the 105th Medical Group, instilling mission-pride, and a can-do spirit throughout the group,” Charlton said.

indoor golf simulator at its Leatherstocking Golf Course Clubhouse, allowing participants to “play” the resort’s famed course in a whole new way now through March 31. Golfers can choose from more than 200 golf courses to play virtually, including such legends as Leatherstocking and Pebble Beach. Designed in 1909 by golf course architect Devereux Emmet, the 18-hole Leatherstocking Golf Course offers scenic views of Otsego Lake. The

simulator offers the same sloping fairways and serious water hazards of the par-72 course, along with raised “blind” greens for a challenging virtual course.

Interested participants can pick their virtual “tee time” online, 14 days in advance, and can choose times between 9 a.m. and 8 p.m. from Wednesdays through Sundays. There is a 48-hour cancellation policy and booking prices start at $40.00 per person. Golf instruction and swing analysis are also available for an additional fee.

For more information about the TrackMan indoor golf simulator and the resort’s Winter Golf Package, please visit www.Otesaga.com.

Bassett Caregivers Urged to Wear Masks, PPE

OTSEGO COUNTY

Bassett Healthcare Network is reviewing its internal policies following a New York State Department of Health announcement ending the state’s requirement for masks to be worn in healthcare settings. Governor Kathy Hochul issued the update on Friday, February 10.

“Much is still to be determined, especially related to COVID-19 community transmission rates and how these numbers may affect masking protocols in the

short- and long-term,” said Dr. Tommy Ibrahim, president and CEO of Bassett, in a letter to Bassett caregivers.

Dr. Ibrahim urged Bassett staff “to continue to wear masks and other PPE” in all healthcare settings while their Incident Command and Infection Control experts review guidance updates from the NYSDOH.

“We appreciate your patience as we determine next steps and develop plans that are in the best interests of our patients, staff, and visitors,” Dr. Ibrahim concluded.

Dr. Naylor Brand Ups Chewy Distribution

MORRIS

H.W. Naylor Co., Inc. a long-standing manufacturer of animal health products, has broadened distribution throughout North America with Chewy. Through this new avenue of delivery, millions of Chewy customers will have access to the Dr. Naylor brand of topical animal health products.

offering more than 100,000 products through Chewy,” said David Lucas, president of H.W. Naylor Co., Inc.

If I would only stay.

But now the Master “hasn’t time”

The Mistress says I shed.

She doesn’t want me in the house,

Not even to be fed.

The children never walk me,

They always say “Not now”.

I wish that I could please them.

Won’t someone tell me how?

All I had, you see, was love.

I wish they would explain

Why they said they wanted mine,

And then left it on a chain?

edith Lasen Johson

After recovery, the cats are returned to their home—their colony—outdoors. A feral colony caregiver provides food and shelter and monitors the colony for new arrivals. Caregivers monitor for sick cats they can vet and for newcomers that need to be spayed or neutered and vaccinated. Whenever possible, tame adults and kittens that can be socialized are removed from the colonies and evaluated for adoption, the Feral Cat Focus website explains.

Libby Post, executive director of the New York State Animal Protection Federation, addressed the legalities of TNVR, were the model to be replicated in Otsego County.

“The legal status of TNVR is nil,” Post said. “It’s not legal and it’s not illegal. As far as I’m concerned, if something isn’t illegal, it’s legal.”

German entered the Air National Guard through a direct commission into the Medical Services Corps after completing degrees in biology and science from Hartwick College. He completed the military’s Health Services Administration School at Fort Sam Houston in February 2018 and earned a Master of Public Administration shortly after in May 2018. He earned a degree in business administration from Cornell University in 2018 as well.

German also serves as an instructor with the Defense Institute for Medical Operations and is the treasurer for the Air National Guard Medical Services Corps Society.

He previously held roles as the operations officer for the United States Air Forces of Europe Headquarters Eastern European International Affairs Branch. Prior to this current job, German served as a joint medical plans officer at the United States European Command to support medical efforts during Operation Allies Refuge, the joint mission to evacuate Afghans who worked for the United States from that nation, and on Ukraine Support Operations.

“We are excited about joining up with Chewy to reach large and small animal pet parents across our country. Our time tested animal health-care products are a perfect match with Chewy’s award-winning customer service. While farmers and other pet owners have relied on our products since 1926, we are honored to be a part of more than 3,000 of the best and most trusted brands in the pet industry

Founded in 1926 by Dr. Howard W. Naylor in Morris, the Dr. Naylor brand of animal health-care products are distributed to more than 26 different countries. H.W. Naylor Co., Inc.’s mission is to continue to sell dependable and affordable animal health products everywhere. According to a recent press release, the company’s exceptional customer service and reliable products are the foundation to its brand loyalty that spans generations of users across the globe. Bestselling Dr. Naylor-branded products featured on Chewy. com include Blu-Kote, RedKote, Hoof ‘n’ Heel, Udder Balm, Dehorning Paste and Teat Dilators.

NYSERDA Program Helps Reduce Farm Bills

OTSEGO COUNTY

Implemented by the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority since 2016, the Agricultural Energy Audit Program provides farms and on-farm producers with no-cost energy audits, including recommendations to improve energy efficiency. The program also helps participants access funding support to implement energy efficiency measures.

New York farms can choose from two audits based on their needs. The “Level Comprehensive” audit is focused on a specific complex energy system or renewable energy production. This analysis is ideal for operations with a complex system to be analyzed beyond standard energy efficiency

upgrades, or if the farm is interested in pursuing renewable energy, with calculated evaluations of appropriate energy efficiency measures including simple payback.

The “Level Targeted” audit focuses on specific systems, energy efficiency measures or renewable energy. This first-come, firstserved program is open through September 2025 or until program funds expire. Eligible farms and on-farm producers include, but are not limited to, dairies, orchards, greenhouses, vegetable growers, vineyards, grain dryers, and poultry/egg producers.

To learn more, e-mail aeep@nyserda.ny.gov or visit https://www.nyserda. ny.gov/All-Programs/agriculture-energy-audit.

Residents from across Otsego County—including the communities of Cherry

Photo by Allison Hungerford

Approximately 80 people took part in the February 9 Community Cat Forum in the Foothills Atrium, including Edie Offhaus and Jill Masset—co-founders of Feral Cat Focus Inc.—who participated via Zoom. The forum was spearheaded by the SQSPCA.

Original Works By Collage Artist Jane Evelynne Higgins-Main Offered as Part of Village Improvement Society Auction

By TERESA WINCHESTER

GILBERTSVILLE

Eleven original pieces by the late collage artist Jane Evelynne Higgins-Main are up for bid in an online auction mounted through Lambrecht Auction Inc. to benefit Gilbertsville’s Village Improvement Society.

Higgins-Main graduated from Sidney High School in 1976. She went on to study fine arts at SUNY Oneonta and the University of Siena, Italy, graduating with a BA in 1980. Shortly thereafter, she moved to Southern California to pursue a career in graphics and typesetting. Higgins-Main relocated to Gilbertsville in 1995, where she opened the Hilton Bloom Art Studio in a carriage barn behind her house, at the corner of Hilton and Bloom streets. From the gallery’s 1998 opening through 2010, Higgins-Main mounted summer exhibits featuring local artists and held opening receptions at the gallery.

As a professional artist, HigginsMain worked exclusively in the medium of collage. Her award-winning work, which reflected her interest in literature, history, and mythology, was widely exhibited, including four solo shows in regional galleries and two solo exhibits in New York City.

“Jane Higgins was an extraordi-

nary collage artist. During her artistic career she created an impressive body of witty, satirical images that invited viewers to examine the world through her personal lens. A lens that was a blend of intelligence and humor. I have no doubt her work will become highly collectible,” said Nancy Callahan, professor of art emerita at SUNY Oneonta and a Gilbertsville resident.

“More went into Jane’s collagemaking than meets the eye,” Callahan continued. “She really did it the oldschool way—with scissors and wet glue, and making sure things dried flat. She always had hundreds of magazines that she went through to clip images that she liked. It was a lot about sorting, and trial and error, for her. She had to know exactly where she was going to put the images.

“The end product was actually surrealism through found images,” Callahan said.

Gilbertsville artist and writer Valerie Haynes also had high praise for Higgins-Main’s work.

“I always said that Jane was ‘the Gary Larson of collage,’ and I know the community, especially those who knew Jane, will appreciate her unmatched humor,” said Haynes, who, with Higgins-Main and others, formed the Illume Writers and Artists publishing cooperative in 2011.

Haynes donated the Higgins-Main collages for the auction.

Besides operating her art gallery, Higgins-Main was active in the community as a member of the Village Improvement Society, National Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution, Tianderah Chapter and GAGA (Gilbertsville Arts, Gilbertsville Artists). A lifelong Episcopalian, she attended Zion Episcopal Church in Morris.

Higgins-Main’s collages may be viewed at www.laibids.com. Bidding will cease at 7 p.m. on February 16. Winning bidders must pick up items between 9 a.m. and noon on February 18 at the Gilbert Block, 5 Commercial Street,

Exhibit Featuring Photography of HoF Pitcher Randy Johnson Planned

COOPERSTOWN

Hall of Fame pitcher

Randy Johnson will share his 40-year passion for photography in his first-ever solo exhibition at Fenimore Art Museum beginning April 1, 2023.

“Randy Johnson: Storytelling with Photographs” features an array of images captured by Johnson during his treks across Africa. The work includes intimate shots of the people he engaged with and the abundance of wildlife he encountered. Johnson’s accompanying written account partners with the vibrant imagery, weaving together a visually appealing grand tour of the continent.

“I’ve been fortunate to have the opportunity to travel

Ronald G. Peters

1944-2023

ONEONTA—Ronald

G. Peters, 78, passed away February 1, 2023 at his home. He was born May 28, 1944. An obituary will follow. Arrangements are pending with Oneonta’s only family owned funeral home, Lewis, Hurley & Pietrobono, at 51 Dietz Street; www.lhpfuneralhome.com

Robert P. Ulesky

1931-2023

Robert P. Ulesky, 91, of Cooperstown, New York passed away peacefully on Tuesday, February 2, surrounded by his loving family.

Bob was born to Peter and Mary (Mae) Ulesky in Newark, New Jersey on September 16, 1931. He grew up in Irvington, New Jersey. He attended St. Leo’s Grammar School. Bob graduated from Seton Hall Prep and entered Immaculate Conception Seminary.

After his ordination, Bob served at Saint Paul of the Cross in Jersey City as a parish priest. He made many lifelong friends while serving the church and the community. In 1968, he left the priesthood. Throughout his life, he spent time as an activist for civil rights, immigration rights and the rights of the less fortu-

the world and capture rare moments,” said Johnson. “All of my photos tell a story, but none of these are more meaningful than the ones I was able to collect during my time in Africa. The images reflect my experiences with the people and wildlife there.”

“Randy Johnson: Storytelling with Photographs” is the culmination of four visits to separate regions of the continent, with the goal of creating a visual document. The exhibition features sections on Ethiopia and its people, Rwanda and its silverback gorilla population, the great herd migrations of Eastern Africa, and portraits of various animals photographed in the wild. A

total of 30 large prints will be on view.

Johnson’s career as a

nate. While beginning a family, he earned another master’s degree and an EdD in Education. He spent his career as an English teacher at Essex County Community College, where he was one of the founders.

He also pursued his dream to own a farm in Lafayette, New Jersey. He learned just how hard it was to run a farm and enjoyed learning how to ride horses.

In 1992, Bob married Maria Camargo. They lived in Lafayette, Manhattan, Englewood, Tenafly and, finally, Cooperstown.

Bob enjoyed his time in Cooperstown, taking care of their property, enjoying the beautiful views, and having family and friends visit. Bob also enjoyed reading and writing poetry during his retirement.

Major League pitcher is well documented, but his passion for photography is not as

OBITUARIES

When asked what his greatest accomplishment in life was, he highlighted his sports prowess as a football, baseball and basketball player. His family and friends remember him for his patience, humility and warm soul. His greatest legacy was teaching his two daughters and five grandchildren, through example, to care for others and hug hard! He taught them through his examples and then became their biggest cheerleader as he watched them all grow.

Bob is predeceased by his mom and dad, Peter and Mary (Mae) Ulesky. He is survived by his wife, MariaJose Camargo; his daughters, Tara Thomas and Julie Berg and son-in-law Rick Maier; and five grandchildren, Ryan and Tyler Berg, and Jacob, Emma, and Sydney Thomas;

sister Claire and brotherin-law Ed Woltersdorf and youngest sister Irene Ulesky; and four nephews and a niece.

The Liturgy of Christian Burial was held at St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Cooperstown, New York on Wednesday, February 8. There will be a Memorial of Life held in New Jersey early in the spring. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to Doctors without Borders, Catholic Charities or Otsego Land Trust, three organizations that meant a great deal to Bob.

widely known. It began when he studied photojournalism at the University of Southern California from 1983-1985.

Following his retirement from baseball in 2010, the five-time Cy Young Award winner was able to revive earlier aspirations and devote his full attention to the craft.

“Baseball was my livelihood, and it’s still a great interest to me, but it opened a lot of doors to my passion. Baseball was my life, essentially, from the age of 7 until I retired at age 46. But then I was able to step away from it for a while and get back to photography.”

Johnson has frequently been spotted around the country photographing rock concerts and occasional

sporting events. His work has been featured in publications such as “Rolling Stone,” “Spin” and “Metal Hammer.” Johnson’s concert photography has even found its way into tour programs, posters and books.

“Photography has taken me on an amazing journey, and it’s just the beginning,” Johnson added. “I look forward to visiting places I’ve never been, photographing things I’ve never seen, and sharing what I have learned along the way.”

Fenimore Art Museum will also host a symposium on photography featuring Johnson and other respected photographers. Visit fenimoreart.org for more information.

Grandma loved her farm, her family, and playing her old guitar.

Lester R. Grummons Funeral Home will take the time to find out what made your loved one special. Whether it’s finding just the right flowers, or finding a musician to play her favorite tunes on her old guitar, we’ll do what’s necessary to make her service as unique as she was.

Lester R. Grummons Funeral Home 14 Grand Street, Oneonta • 607-432-6821 www.grummonsfuneralhome.com

Funeral Home

Dignity, Respect, Tradition

Dignified and Caring Service since 1925 Peaceful grounds. Home-like atmosphere. Suitable for large or small gatherings.

Peter A. Deysenroth 82 Chestnut Street, Cooperstown | 607-547-8231 www.cooperstownfuneralhome.com

Gilbertsville. Auction proceeds will go toward upkeep of the Gilbert Block, a neo-Tudor style strip of buildings designed by Boston architect Henry Forbes Bigelow and constructed between 1893 and 1895.

Photos provided\

Signed original works of collage by the late Jane Evelynne Higgins-Main up for bid in the Village Improvement Society of Gilbertsville auction include “Do Not Operate Heavy Machinery While Grieving” (above) and “Pool Hall Nativity” (left). The artist’s award-winning work reflected her interest in literature, history and mythology. Bidding ends at 7 p.m. on February 16. Pieces shown here are enlarged and cropped to show detail— the full works can be viewed at www.laibids.com.

Photo by Randy Johnson

The first-ever solo photography exhibition by Hall of Fame pitcher Randy Johnson, featuring images captured during his trek across Africa, begins on April 1 at Fenimore Art Museum.

‘Summer’ Concert

Set for february 19

ONeONTA—The Oneonta Community Concert band will perform its “Good Ol’ Summertime in Winter” concert at the foothills

Performing Arts and Civic Center on Sunday, february 19 at 3 p.m. The performance is free and open to the public.

Conductor Kerri L. Hogle said the subtheme of this concert—supported by a generous grant from the Dewar foundation—is “Oh, the Places You Can Go!” and alludes to the similarly titled book by Dr. Seuss.

“This year’s concert will feature music that references different places one might travel to during the summer,” said Hogle, who teaches band to junior and senior high school students at Cooperstown Central School.

Pieces on the program include “The Great Gate of Kiev” from Mussorgsky’s “Pictures at an exhibition,” Sammy Nestico’s arrangement of “Loch Lomond” and ernesto Lecuona’s “Malagueña.”

foothills Performing Arts and Civic Center is located 24 Market Street in Oneonta. for more information, visit the Oneonta Community Concert band on facebook or call (607) 376-7485.

CAA fund-raiser

begins March 11

COOP e RSTOWN—The Cooperstown Art Association, 22 Main Street, kicks off its “Spring Cleaning Art bazaar” fund-raising event on March 11. According to a recent CAA press release, the Spring Cleaning Art bazaar is a biennial sale of gently used fine arts, crafts, and various artistic supplies and tools donated by area artists and patrons—all available at deeply discounted prices.

“from our closets to your walls,” the announcement reads, “this fun event is designed to make artwork affordable to everyone from homeowners and designers to antique dealers and business owners. There is bound to be something for everyone: ceramics, paintings, etchings, pastels, antiques, frames and textiles.

“If you are looking to start, grow, or just refresh a quality art collection, this is the perfect, budget-friendly way to do it. for artists, this is a great opportunity to grab a deal on a variety of supplies and tools. Don’t miss out on this six-day event or you’ll have to wait another two years,” CAA urged.

Those interested in donating original artwork and crafts to the CAA for this fund-raiser are invited to call (607) 547-9777 or e-mail gallery@cooperstownart.com to arrange a suitable drop-off time. Donations will be accepted weekdays only from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. from february 21 through March 3.

The CAA is open Tuesday through Saturday. The Spring Cleaning Art bazaar will take place in Gallery A from March 11-18. All proceeds from this sale benefit the CAA and its Prize fund for artists.

CCe To Hold Seed Starting Workshop

COOP e RSTOWN—Join

Otsego Master Gardener

Volunteers Darleen fournier and Carol Phelps for “Seed Starting Tips,” an in-person, hands-on workshop from 10-11:30 a.m. on Saturday, february 18 at the CCe education Center in Cooperstown.

In Otsego County, seedstarting indoors generally runs from mid-february through early May. At this workshop, attendees will learn what to start and when, as well as the best practices for success. bring your own seeds or use a limited supply that will be available; other supplies will be provided.

The workshop is $10.00 per person, payable at the door. The fee includes all materials and handouts. Preregistration is required and space is limited. To register, please visit cceschoharieotsego.org/events or call (607) 547-2536.

Program focus Is Adult Guardianship

COOP e RSTOWN—The basics of adult guardianships will be taught at a free program on Tuesday, february 28 from 4-5 p.m. at the Supreme Court Law Library. This “Lawyer in the Library” program offering will be presented by Susan Lettis, esq., associate attorney for the New York State Supreme Court Mental Hygiene Legal Service. Ms. Lettis will discuss the basics of how to ask the court to appoint a legal guardian with the authority to help an incapacitated adult manage their personal needs and/or property, such as paying bills, organizing finances, applying for benefits, making healthcare choices, and other, similar decisions. The Supreme Court Law Library is located at 197 Main Street, Cooperstown. for further information, call Chris Lund at (607) 240-4310 or e-mail clund@nycourts.gov.

Skills Taught for Successful Aging

OTSeGO COUNTY—

The Otsego County Office for the Aging has announced a five-part Tuesday presentation series, “Planning for Successful Aging.” All sessions begin at 4 p.m. in the emergency Services Classroom in The Meadows Office Complex, 140 County Highway 33W, Cooperstown.

The series kicks off on Tuesday, february 21 with “funeral Pre-planning,” hosted by the Leatherstocking Chapter of the New York State funeral Directors Association. On february 28, the Legal Aid Society of Mid-New York will present “Importance of establishing Advanced Directives,” followed by “How to Have the Hard Talk with Loved Ones” hosted by Helios Care on March 7. The Alzheimer’s Association and Office for the Aging will discuss “Programs Available to Age in Place at Home” on March 14. Rounding out the series on March 21, the Coutlee Law Office will give instruction on “estate Planning.” Registration is required. for more information and to register, call (607) 547-4232 or e-mail nyconnects@otsegocounty.com

‘Dear elizabeth’

Read is Saturday

COOP e RSTOWN— fenimore Art Museum will present a dramatic reading of “Dear elizabeth: A Play in Letters from elizabeth bishop to Robert Lowell and back Again” followed by a talkback. The program takes place on Saturday, february 18 at 2 p.m. in the fAM auditorium. Admission to the play reading is free with a suggested donation. from playwright Sarah Ruhl, “Dear elizabeth” is

TIMe OUT

a moving, innovative play based on one of the greatest correspondences in literary history—the letters of Robert Lowell and elizabeth bishop. from 1947 to 1977, Robert Lowell and elizabeth bishop exchanged more than 400 letters.

As innovative as it is moving, “Dear elizabeth” gives voice to a conversation that lived mostly in writing, illuminating some of the finest poems of the 20th century and the minds that produced them. The reading features Danielle and Michael Henrici as bishop and Lowell.

The play reading will be followed by a talkback with Thomas Travisano, the principal editor of “Words in Air: TheCompleteCorrespondence between elizabeth bishop and Robert Lowell,” upon which Sarah Ruhl’s play is based. The talkback will be moderated by Robert Huddleston, professor of writing at New York University.

“Dear elizabeth” is presented by arrangement with Concord Theatricals on behalf of Samuel french, Inc. www.concordtheatricals. com. fenimore Art Museum is located at 5798 State Route 80, less than one mile from the center of Cooperstown. for more information, visit fenimoreart.org.

Deadline March 1 for Internships

COOP e RSTOWN—The New York Press Association foundation provides paid summer internships for college journalism students who are accepted into the multi-week program. Students interested in working this summer with Iron String Press—publisher of “The freeman’s Journal,” “Hometown Oneonta,” and AllOtsego.com—should submit the application and other required materials directly to General Manager Darla M. Youngs at darlay@ allotsego.com no later than March 1. The application can be found on page 2. Students who are accepted into the program will earn a net stipend of $2,600.00 for the internship.

Mill exploreMore! Program expanded

eAST MeReDITH— Hanford Mills Museum invites regional businesses and organizations to participate in the 2023 explore More! Collaborative Partner Program. explore More! was launched in the summer of 2021 through various funding sources to support the promotion of regional assets. As part of the program, a section of the hanfordmills.org website was dedicated to enhance visibility of partners in order to become a meaningful area resource for community

members, business partners and tourism guests. The exploreMore! program provides information about “more” things to do throughout the region: places to visit and things to see; where to find food and provisions; and local treasures for retail shopping. In 2022, calendar event promotions were added to the program. In 2023, the program is

continuing through the fiscal sponsorship of Hanford Mills Museum, making it possible to offer the opportunity at no cost to participating partners. The program, now in its third year, continues to be administered by Susan O’Handley, Central NY Mobile Marketing, on behalf of Hanford Mills Museum. New businesses and organizations can apply to

participate via the Hanford Mills Museum website. It is requested that all new applications be submitted by March 15, so that new content can be incorporated into the website in time for spring and summer updates. Hanford Mills Museum is located at 51 County Highway 12 in east Meredith. for more information, call (607) 278-5744.

LegaL nOtice NOTICE TO BIDDERS

Sealed bids will be received as set forth in instructions to bidders until 10:30

A.M. on Thursday, March 09, 2023 at the NYSDOT, Office of Contract Management, 50 Wolf Rd, 1st Floor, Suite 1CM, Albany, NY 12232 and will be publicly opened and read. Bids may also be submitted via the internet using www.bidx.com.

A certified cashier’s check payable to the NYSDOT for the sum specified in the proposal or a bid bond, form CONR 391, representing 5% of the bid total, must accompany each bid. NYSDOT reserves the right to reject any or all bids.

Electronic documents and Amendments are posted to www.dot.ny.gov/ doing-business/opportunities/const-notices. The Contractor is responsible for ensuring that all Amendments are incorporated into its bid. To receive notification of Amendments via e-mail you must submit a request to be placed on the Planholders List at www.dot. ny.gov/doing-business/opportunities/ const-planholder.

Amendments may have been issued prior to your placement on the Planholders list.

NYS Finance Law restricts communication with NYSDOT on procurements and contact can only be made with designated persons. Contact with non-designated persons or other involved Agencies will be considered a serious matter and may result in disqualification. Contact Robert Kitchen (518)457-2124.

Contracts with 0% Goals are generally single operation contracts, where subcontracting is not expected, and may present direct bidding opportunities for Small Business Firms, including, but not limited to D/M/WBE’s and SDVOBs.

The New York State Department of Transportation, in accordance with the Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, 78 Stat. 252, 42 U.S.C. 2000d to 2000d-4 and Title 49, Code of Federal Regulations, Department of Transportation, Subtitle A, Office the Secretary, Part 21, Nondiscrimination in Federallyassisted programs of the Department of Transportation and Title 23 Code of Federal Regulations, Part 200, Title IV Program and Related Statutes, as amended, issued pursuant to such Act, hereby notifies all who respond to a written Department solicitation, request for proposal or invitation for bid that it will affirmatively ensure that in any contract entered into pursuant to this advertisement, disadvantaged business enterprises will be afforded full opportunity to submit bids in response to this invitation and will not be discriminated against on the grounds of

race, color, national origin, sex, age, disability/handicap and income status in consideration for an award.

BIDDERS SHOULD BE ADVISED THAT AWARD OF THESE CONTRACTS MAY BE CONTINGENT UPON THE PASSAGE OF A BUDGET APPROPRIATION BILL BY THE LEGISLATURE AND GOVERNOR OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK.

Please call (518)457-2124 if a reasonable accommodation is needed to participate in the letting.

Region 09: New York State Department of Transportation

44 Hawley Street, Binghamton, NY, 13901

D264979, PIN 9PM023, FA Proj Y0019PM0-233, Broome, Chenango, Delaware, Otsego, Schoharie, Sullivan, Tioga Cos., HIGHWAY PAVEMENT MARKINGS - Various

Federal-Aid Eligible State Highways, Bid

Deposit: 5% of Bid (~ $200,000.00),

Goals: DBE: 0.00%

LegaL nOtice

SUPPLEMENTAL SUMMONS SUPREME COURT OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK

INDEX NO.

EF2022-298

Plaintiff designates

OTSEGO as the place of trial situs of the real property

Mortgaged

Premises:

7401 STATE ROUTE 28, SCHUYLER LAKE, NY 13457

Section: 67.05, Block: 1, Lot: 14.00

COUNTY OF OTSEGO

DLJ MORTGAGE

CAPITAL, INC.

Plaintiff, vs. JOSEPH C. PESTAR, INDIVIDUALLY AND AS HEIR AND DISTRIBUTEE OF THE ESTATE OF LAURIE A. PESTAR A/K/A LAURIE A. DENMEADE; ERIC PHILLIPS, AS HEIR AND DISTRIBUTEE OF THE ESTATE OF LAURIE A. PESTAR A/K/A

LAURIE A. DENMEADE; JEREMY DENMEADE, AS HEIR AND DISTRIBUTEE OF THE ESTATE OF LAURIE A. PESTAR A/K/A LAURIE A. DENMEADE, if living, and if she/he be dead, any and all persons unknown to plaintiff, claiming, or who may claim to have an interest in, or general or specific lien upon the real property described in this action; such unknown persons being herein generally described and intended to be included in the following designation, namely: the wife, widow, husband, widower, heirs at law, next of kin, descendants, executors, administrators, devisees, legatees, creditors, trustees,

committees, lienors, and assignees of such deceased, any and all persons deriving interest in or lien upon, or title to said real property by, through or under them, or either of them, and their respective wives, widows, husbands, widowers, heirs at law, next of kin, descendants, executors, administrators, devisees, legatees, creditors, trustees, committees, lienors and assigns, all of whom and whose names, except as stated, are unknown to plaintiff; THOMAS DYGERT, AS HEIR AND DISTRIBUTEE OF THE ESTATE OF LAURIE A. PESTAR A/K/A LAURIE A. DENMEADE; UNKNOWN HEIRS AND DISTRIBUTEES OF THE ESTATE OF LAURIE A. DENMEADE A/K/A LAURIE A. PESTAR, any and all persons unknown to plaintiff, claiming, or who may claim to have an interest in, or general or specific lien upon the real property described in this action; such unknown persons being herein generally described and intended to be included in the following designation, namely: the wife, widow, husband, widower, heirs at law, next of kin, descendants, executors, administrators, devisees, legatees, creditors, trustees, committees, lienors, and assignees of such deceased, any and all persons deriving interest in or lien upon, or title to said real property by, through or under them, or either of them, and their respective wives, widows, husbands, widowers, heirs at law, next of kin, descendants, executors, administrators, devisees, legatees, creditors, trustees, committees, lienors and assigns, all of whom and whose names, except as stated, are unknown to plaintiff; NEW YORK STATE DEPARTMENT OF TAXATION AND FINANCE; UNITED STATES OF AMERICA; CITIBANK, N.A.; THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, “JOHN DOE #1” through “JOHN DOE #12,” the last twelve names being fictitious and unknown to plaintiff, the persons or parties intended being the tenants, occupants, persons or corporations, if any, having or claiming an interest in or lien upon the premises, described in the complaint, Defendants.

To the above named Defendants

YOU ARE HEREBY SUMMONED to answer the Complaint in the above entitled action and to serve a copy of your Answer on the plaintiff’s attorney within twenty (20) days of the service of this Summons, exclusive of the day of service, or within thirty (30) days after service of the same is complete where service is made in any manner other than by personal delivery within the State. The United States of America, if designated as a defendant in this action, may answer or appear within

sixty (60) days of service. Your failure to appear or to answer will result in a judgment against you by default for the relief demanded in the Complaint. In the event that a deficiency balance remains from the sale proceeds, a judgment may be entered against you.

NOTICE OF NATURE OF ACTION AND RELIEF SOUGHT

THE OBJECT of the above caption action is to foreclose a Mortgage to secure the sum of $106,400.00 and interest, recorded on August 13, 2007, in Liber 1531 at Page 120, of the Public Records of OTSEGO County, New York., covering premises known as 7401 STATE ROUTE 28, SCHUYLER LAKE, NY 13457. The relief sought in the within action is a final judgment directing the sale of the premises described above to satisfy the debt secured by the Mortgage described above. OTSEGO County is designated as the place of trial because the real property affected by this action is located in said county.

NOTICE

YOU ARE IN DANGER OF LOSING YOUR HOME

If you do not respond to this summons and complaint by serving a copy of the answer on the attorney for the mortgage company who filed this foreclosure proceeding against you and filing the answer with the court, a default judgment may be entered and you can lose your home.

Speak to an attorney or go to the court where your case is pending for further information on how to answer the summons and protect your property.

Sending a payment to the mortgage company will not stop the foreclosure action.

YOU MUST RESPOND BY SERVING A COPY OF THE ANSWER ON THE ATTORNEY FOR THE PLAINTIFF (MORTGAGE COMPANY) AND FILING THE ANSWER WITH THE COURT.

Dated: January 20, 2023

ROBERTSON, ANSCHUTZ, SCHNEID, CRANE & PARTNERS, PLLC

Attorney for Plaintiff Matthew Rothstein, Esq. 900 Merchants Concourse, Suite 310 Westbury, NY 11590 516-280-7675

LegaL nOtice SUMMONS STATE OF NEW YORK SUPREME COURT COUNTY OF OTSEGO

Index No. EF2022-557

301.07

Premises: 104 ANGEL DRIVE, ONEONTA, NY 13820

JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, Plaintiff, -vsTIMONEY F. MASSEY A/K/A

TIMONEY MASSEY; THE HEIRS AT LARGE OF ROSINA SCOTTI, deceased, and all persons who are spouses, widows, grantees, mortgagees, lienors, heirs, devisees, distributees, successors in interest of such of them as may be dead, and their husbands and wives, heirs, devisees, distributees and successors of interest of all of whom and whose names and places are unknown to Plaintiff; UNITED STATES OF AMERICA; NEW YORK STATE DEPARTMENT OF TAXATION AND FINANCE; “JOHN DOE” AND “JANE DOE” said names being fictitious, it being the intention of Plaintiff to designate any and all occupants of premises being foreclosed herein, Defendants.

TO THE ABOVE NAMED

DEFENDANT(S): YOU ARE HEREBY SUMMONED to answer the Complaint in the above entitled action and to serve a copy of your Answer on the plaintiff’s attorney within twenty (20) days of the service of this Summons, exclusive of the day of service, or within thirty (30) days after service of the same is complete where service is made in any manner other than by personal delivery within the State. The United States of America, if designated as a defendant in this action, may answer or appear within sixty (60) days of service hereof. Your failure to appear or answer will result in a judgment against you by default for the relief demanded in the Complaint. In the event that a deficiency balance remains from the sale proceeds, a judgment may be entered against you, unless the Defendant obtained a bankruptcy discharge and such other or further relief as may be just and equitable.

NOTICE YOU ARE IN DANGER OF LOSING YOUR HOME

If you do not respond to this summons and complaint by serving a copy of the answer to the attorney for the mortgage company who filed this foreclosure proceeding against you and filing the answer with the court, a default judgment may be entered and you can lose your home. Speak to an attorney or go to the court where your case is pending for further information on how to answer the summons and protect your property. Sending payment to your mortgage company will not stop this foreclosure action.

YOU MUST RE-

TIFF (MORTGAGE COMPANY) AND FILING THE ANSWER WITH THE COURT.

OTSEGO County is designated as the place of trial. The basis of venue is the location of the mortgaged premises.

Dated: August 22, 2022 Mark K. Broyles, Esq. FEIN SUCH & CRANE, LLP Attorneys for Plaintiff Office and P.O. Address 28 East Main Street, Suite 1800 Rochester, New York 14614 Telephone No. (585) 232-7400

NATURE AND OBJECT OF ACTION

The object of the above action is to foreclose a mortgage held by the Plaintiff recorded in the County of OTSEGO, State of New York as more particularly described in the Complaint herein. TO THE DEFENDANT, the plaintiff makes no personal claim against you in this action. To the above named defendants: The foregoing summons is served upon you by publication pursuant to an order of HON. BRIAN D. BURNS Justice of the Supreme Court of the State of New York, dated JANUARY 20, 2023 and filed along with the supporting papers in the OTSEGO County Clerk’s Office. This is an action to foreclose a Mortgage. All that tract or parcel of land being Lot 40 of Arigel Heights subdivision, situate in the Town of Oneonta, county of Otsego and state of New York

Mortgaged

Premises: 104 ANGEL DRIVE, ONEONTA, NY 13820

Tax Map/Parcel ID No.: Section: 301.07 Block: 2 Lot: 40.00 of the TOWN of ONEONTA, NY 13820 75167

LegaL nOtice

NOTICE OF FORMATION OF Dabbling Acres LLC, Articles of Organization were filed with the Secretary of the State of New York (SSNY) on 01/26/2023. Office location: Otsego County. SSNY has been designated as agent of the LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail a copy of process to the LLC, 169 Brighton Road Richfield Springs, NY 13439.

Purpose: For any lawful purpose.

6LegalMar.23

LegaL nOtice

NOTICE OF FORMATION OF New Vantage LLC.

Filed 2/2/23. Cty: Otsego. SSNY desig. for process & shall mail 33 Ford Ave, Oneonta, NY 13820. Purp: any lawful.

6LegalMar.23

LegaL nOtice

NOTICE OF FORMATION OF Rule Licensed Clinical Social Work

Office: Otsego Co. SSNY desig. as agent for process & shall mail to: Usacorp Inc, 325 Division Ave Ste 201, Bklyn, NY 11211.

Purpose: Licensed Clinical Social Work.

6LegalMar.23

LegaL nOtice

NOTICE OF FORMATION OF Superior Plus Maintenance, LLC

Arts. of Org. filed with SSNY on 1/22/23.

Office location: Otsego County. SSNY designated as agent of LLC upon whom process may be served. SSNY shall mail process to United States Corporation Agents, Inc., 7014 13th Avenue Suite 202, Brooklyn, New York 11228.

Purpose: any lawful act or activity.

6LegalMar.23

LegaL nOtice

NOTICE OF FORMATION OF Preisser Development, LLC.

Articles of Organization were filed with the NY Secretary of State on 01/31/23. The office of the LLC is to be located in Otsego County. The Secretary of State has been designated as agent of the LLC upon whom process against it may be served. The Secretary of State shall mail a copy of any process against the LLC served upon it to: The LLC, P.O. Box 338, Unadilla, NY 13849. The purpose of the LLC is to engage in any lawful act.

6LegalMar.23

LegaL nOtice

NOTICE OF FORMATION OF PROFESSIONAL LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY, (PLLC)

Name: Pioneer Anesthesia Consulting, PLLC

Articles of Organization filed with Secretary of State of New York (SSNY) on 1/05/2023.

Office Location: Otsego County. SSNY designated as agent of PLLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail copy of process to: 94 Pioneer Street, Cooperstown NY 13326.

Purpose: Profession of Medicine. 6LegalMar.23

LegaL nOtice

NOTICE OF FORMATION OF RICRA, LLC.

Articles of Organization were filed with the NY Secretary of State on 12/20/2022. The office of the LLC is to be located in Otsego County. The Secretary of State has been designated as agent of the LLC upon whom process against it may be served. The secretary of state shall mail a copy of any process against the LLC served upon it to: The LLC, 493 Chestnut Street, Suite 2, Oneonta, NY 13820. The purpose of the LLC is to engage in any lawful act.

6LegalMar.16

LegaL nOtice

NOTICE OF FORMATION OF LYNNDORA CONSULTING, LLC

Articles of Org. filed NY Sec. of State (SSNY) 1/27/23. Office in Otsego Co. SSNY desig. agent of LLC whom process may be served. SSNY shall mail process to 218 Main St., Ste. 20, Cooperstown, NY 13326.

Purpose: Any lawful purpose.

6LegalMar.9

LegaL nOtice

NOTICE OF FORMATION OF 1201 Meadery LLC

Arts of Org. filed SSNY 1/19/23, Otsego Co. SSNY design agent for process & shall mail to Zenbusiness Inc. 41 State St #112 Albany, NY 12207

General Purpose

6LegalMar.9

LegaL nOtice

NOTICE OF FORMATION OF The Zero’s Journey LLC

Arts of Org. filed SSNY 1/17/23, Otsego Co. SSNY design agent for process & shall mail to Zenbusiness Inc. 41 State St #112 Albany, NY 12207

General Purpose

6LegalMar.9

LegaL nOtice

NOTICE OF FORMATION OF LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY

Notice of Formation of COOPERSTOWN CAMP SERVICES LLC, filed with the Secretary of State on 01/18/2023.

Principal Business and Office Location: 4648 State Highway 28, Cooperstown, N.Y., Otsego County, N.Y.

The Secretary of State is designated as agent of the LLC upon whom process against it may be served. The Secretary of State shall mail process to 4648 State Highway 28, Cooperstown, N.Y. 13326.

Purpose: any lawful activity.

6LegalMar.2

LegaL nOtice

NOTICE OF FORMATION OF LLC.

Janes Garden LLC (LLC) filed Arts. of Org. with Secy. of State of NY (SSNY) on 1/11/2023.

Office location: Otsego County. SSNY designated as agent of the LLC upon whom process may be served and SSNY shall mail process to the LLC at c/o William Weinert, 337 County Highway 34, Schenevus, NY 12155.

Purpose: any business permitted under law.

6LegalFeb.23

LegaL nOtice

NOTICE OF FORMATION OF Highway 48 Property LLC.

Art. of Org. filed Sec’y of State (SSNY) 12/15/22. Office location:

Otsego Co.

SSNY designated as agent of LLC upon whom process against it may be served SSNY shall mail process to: The LLC, c/o Bradley Tillbrooks, 2831 Marsala Court, Orlando, FL 32806. Purpose: any lawful activities.

6LegalFeb.23

LegaL nOtice

NOTICE OF FORMATION OF BOB’S JOB’S LLC, A Limited Liability Company. Articles of Organization were filed with the New York Secretary of State on October 7, 2022. The office of the LLC is to be located in Otsego County. The Secretary of State has been designated as the agent of the LLC upon whom process against it may be served. The Secretary of State shall mail a copy of any process against the LLC to: Robert Nistad, PO Box 817, East Worcester, NY 12064.

The purpose of the LLC is to engage in any lawful act or activity.

6LegalFeb.23

LegaL nOtice

NOTICE OF FORMATION OF Geoffrey Foster, LLC.

Articles of Org. were filed with the NYS Sec’y State on 01/03/2023. The office of the LLC is to be located in Otsego County. The NYS Sec’y of State has been designated as agent for service of process against the LLC. NYS Sec’y of State shall mail a copy of any such process to the LLC at: 383 Pink Street, Cooperstown, NY 13326. The purpose of the LLC shall be general.

6LegalFeb.16

LegaL nOtice

NOTICE OF FORMATION OF Johnson Contracting & Trucking LLC. Filed 5/4/22. Office: Otsego Co. SSNY desig. as agent for process & shall mail to: Po Box 492, Cooperstown, NY 13326. Registered Agent: United States Corporation Agents, Inc., 7014 13th Ave, Ste 202, Bklyn, NY 11228.

Purpose: General.

6LegalFeb.16

LegaL nOtice

NOTICE OF FORMATION OF A NY LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY

Name:

V&H RANCH LLC.

Articles of Organization filing date with Secretary of State (SSNY) was 6 January 2023. Office location: Otsego County. SSNY has been designated as agent of LLC upon whom process against it may be served and SSNY shall mail copy of process to 20 W Main St, Milford, NY 13807. Purpose is to engage in any and all business activities permitted under NYS laws.

6LegalFeb.16

►Thursday, Feb. 16

JOB FAIR 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Hop online to connect with dozens of businesses and hundreds of job opportunities. Held through the NYS Department of Labor. Registration required. Visit nysdolvirtual3.easyvirtualfair. com/landing

CONNECTIONS TALK

1:15 p.m. “Consigned to the Poor House,” presentation by Sherlee Rathbun. A presentation on the Otsego County Poor House. Do you remember the Meadows? Share your stories here. Presented by the Otsego County Council of Senior Citizens in the Community Room at the Clark Sports Center, Cooperstown.

GENEOLOGY 3-5 p.m. Learn about resources to find your family’s story, from Ancestry.com to HathiTrust. Village Library of Cooperstown. (607) 547-8344.

T ZONE 4-6 p.m. Teens aged 12-15 are invited for this after-school program to de-stress, enjoy a nutritious snack and play games with their peers in a safe environment. Held Tuesdays and Thursdays at the Richfield Springs Community Center, 6 Ann Street, Richfield Springs.

ART WORKSHOP 5:307:30 p.m. Learn how to make unique monoprints with Celia Buchanan using gel plates and acrylic paints. Tickets, $45/person. Materials included. Headwaters Arts Center,

66 Main Street, Stamford. (607) 214-6040.

FLY CREEK FIRE 7 p.m.

The community is invited to the monthly meeting of Fly Creek Fire District Board of Commissioners. Held third Thursday of the month at the Fly Creek Fire House, 832 County Road 26, Fly Creek. Visit flycreekfire.com for info.

THEATER 7:30 p.m. Enjoy a theatrical performance of “August: Osage County,” following the story of the disappearance of Beverly Weston, patriarch of the Weston family, and reactions of his wife and daughters. Tickets, $20/ adult. Presented by Bigger Dreams Productions. Production Center, Foothills Performing Arts Center, Oneonta. Visit facebook.com/biggerdreamsproductions.

WRITERS SALON 7:30 p.m. Stop by for open mic followed by a presentation/ reading by featured poet Peter Murphy. Come out to hear new work, work-in-progress, and published work from “Underwater” (Human Error, 2021), a collection one reviewer describes as “sometimes folksy, sometimes bawdy, always lively and intelligent.” Free, open to the public. Community Arts Network of Oneonta, Wilber Mansion, 11 Ford Avenue, Oneonta. (607) 432-2070.

►Friday, Feb. 17

BACKYARD BIRD COUNT

All day. February 17-20, get outside to your favorite places and see how many birds you can spot. Count, identify them and send in your data. Within just 15 minutes, you can help the experts figure out what birds are in the area and make plans for their conservation. Visit birdcount.org for more information.

CAREER NIGHT 7-10

p.m. Students, parents and guardians are invited to learn about different careers. This week’s featured careers are in the healthcare field. Free.

Richfield Springs Community Center, 6 Ann Street, Richfield Springs. (315) 858-3200.

ICECREAM SOCIAL 78:30 p.m. Join Otsego Pride Alliance to meet community members, sign up to plan PrideFest 2023, enjoy some ice cream and much more.

12 Ford Avenue, Oneonta. (607) 386-1508.

JAZZ NIGHT—7 p.m. Come out for a fun night of jazz music with Rich Mollin. Admission by donation. Cash bar available. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. Foothills Performing Arts and Civic Center, Oneonta. (607) 431-2080.

►s aTurday, Feb. 18

ZEN WALK 10 a.m. Support Cooperstown library and join mindful meditation walk on the path to the river. Presented by the Village Library of Cooperstown. Meet on the porch of the Village Hall, 22 Main Street, Cooperstown. (607) 547-8344.

TAX PREP 10 a.m. to noon and 1-3 p.m. Get ready for tax season with the IRS Volunteer Income Tax Assistance program. Hartwick College accounting students certified by the IRS, with their professor, will be available to provide one-on-one assistance in preparing individual tax returns. Either in-person or online. Held at the Huntington Memorial Library, 62 Chestnut Street, Oneonta. (607) 432-1980.

FROZEN TOES RUN 11 a.m. Get out for some winter fun in the Frozen Toe 5-mile run over challenging off-road course. 2.5-mile option available. Course travels perimeter of the sports center property and over wooded trails. Held in all weather conditions. Tickets, $25/person. The Clark Sports Center, Cooperstown. (607) 547-2800.

ART OPEN HOUSE 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. View “Kelley’s Carved Convoy,” a surroundsight of trucks carved 1950s1990s by acclaimed Oneonta

Solo Show Times

Three

CANAJOHARIe—Next month, three photographers will have solo shows in the Regional Art Galleries of The Arkell Museum and Canajoharie Library.

In “Steeples along the Mohawk and Schoharie,” Todd boebel asks, “What happens to an old church once its doors are closed?” Using black and white views of discreet church exteriors, he traces the development of church architecture in the region through the 19th century while shedding light on its Protestant past and present. There are examples of churches abandoned, churches that have taken on diminished roles or have been repurposed, and others that remain open and reflect the simplicity of rural believers.

In Robert Coppola’s “Frame of Mind,” the photographer’s urban upbringing is reflected in his approach to photography: “My landscapes are nostalgic. Photographed in multiple locations, the urban landscapes depict the present reimagined. The rural landscapes betray my awe of the natural beauty of open spaces where farms dot the landscape.”

Phil Scalia’s photographs in “The Snows of Canajoharie” celebrate the intensity, danger and sparse beauty of the rural landscape in winter: “I like to go out in the worst weather, it gives an edge to the shooting. It’s scary, it’s addictive. A mistake can kill you. I spend as much time gear-tweaking clothing and snow tires as photo gear.”

The shows open March 3 and will be on exhibit through April 30. Admission to the Regional Art Galleries is free. Museum admission is free for members and children under 11; $9 adults; $6.50 seniors and students. For more information, contact the museum at (518) 673-2314.

farmer folk artist, Lavern Kelley. Also includes mugs and ornaments by Marcie Schwartzman and wooden Kenyan miniatures (proceeds benefit Mukuru Art Collective). Free admission. The Art Garage, 689 Beaver Meadow Road, Cooperstown. (315) 941-9607.

OPENING RECEPTION 37 p.m. Celebrate the return of the Susquehanna Valley Quilters’ annual quilt show.

Community Arts Network of Oneonta, Wilber Mansion, 11 Ford Avenue, Oneonta. (607) 432-2070.

CRAFT NIGHT 5 p.m. Join

the Studio for Arts & Crafts to make a dot mandala box for Valentine’s Day. Pick your colors and make something special. Cost, $40/person. Theresa’s Emporium, 155 Main Street, Oneonta. (607) 432-1020.

COMEDY SHOW 6-9 p.m.

Enjoy a fun show featuring the “Not Quite So Dueling Pianos” and Hartwick College alum Patrick Duffy. This is an all-request show where the audience picks the set list. Tickets, $20/person at the door. Presented at the Foothills Performing Arts and Civic Center, Oneonta. (607) 431-2080.

ASTRONOMY 7-8:30 p.m.

Join the Otsego County Conservation Association for an evening exploring the February sky. Explore the stars, the constellations, find Mars and Jupiter, and maybe spot the Andromeda galaxy, the most distant thing in our sky. Dress warmly and bring comfortable folding chairs. Meet indoors before the tour and return indoors after for hot chocolate. Free. Registration required. Mohican Farm, 7207 State Route 80, Cooperstown. (607) 547-4488.

►sunday, Feb. 19

LIBRARY LOVERS Head down to the library for fun school-break activities, “Make/Do” cardboard crafts and much more. Village Library of Cooperstown. (607) 547-8344.

CPR COURSE 10 a.m.

For American Heart Month, locals in the healthcare field are invited to learn to perform CPR presented by the Otsego County Office of Emergency Services. Free. Morris Fire Department, 117 East Main Street, Morris. (607) 547-4328.

Photo by Phil Scalia Photo by Robert Coppola